Giovanna Palombo Manfredo
11 November 1893 - 23 March 1975



Giovanna Palombo Manfredo


Giovanna (Jennie) Palombo was born to Raffaelo Palombo and Filomena DiDonato Palombo on 11 November 1893 in Vicalvi, Caserta Province, Italy. She traveled to America in 1915. Jennie and her family always celebrated her birthday on November 15 - her birth record from Vicalvi indicates she was born 11 November (undici novembre), 1893.

Her Ellis Island Manifest records the following:











First House in Contrada Mortale,
Vicalvi, Italy
where Giovanna was born
S.S. Santa Anna sailing from Naples, May 18, 1915
Arrive Port of New York June 1, 1915
Traveling with: Pietro Palombo, 31, Merchant, Francesco Palombo, 9, Son, Fiorina Palombo, 9, Daughter
Age: 29 (21 Actual)
Occupation: Housewife
Married: Y (Incorrect)
Able to Read and Write: Yes (Incorrect)
Nationality: Italy
Race: Italian
Name and complete address of nearest relative in country where alien came from: His Father in Law Palombo Raffaelo, Vicalvi

Final Destination: Denver, Colorado
Whether having ticket to such final destination: No
By Whom was passage paid: Husband
Whether ever been in the US before: Pietro, yes; Giovanna, --
When, Where: 1906/1914, Denver
Whether going to join a relative or friend: His Brother in Law, Laurini Domenico(?), 3344 Navajo Street, Denver, Colorado

Ever to prison or almshouse ..., Polygamist, Anarchist: No
Whether coming by means of an offer ... to labor in US: No
Condition of health, mental and physical: good
Deformed or crippled: No
Height: 5'-5" (5'0" actual)
Complexion: Fair
Color of hair: Brown;
Color of eyes: Chestnut
Place of Birth: Vicalvi, Italy


S.S. Santa Anna

Built by Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranee, La Seyne, France, 1910. 9,350 gross tons; 470 (bp) feet long; 56 feet wide. Steam triple expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 16 knots. 1,970 passengers (70 first class, 150 second class, 1,750 third class).

Built for Fabre Line, French flag, in 1910 and named Sant Anna. Mediterranean-New York service. Torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine off north Africa on May 11, 1918

Information from EllisIslandRecords.Org

Giovanna immigrated under the pretense that she was married to Pietro Palombo. She was pregnant. She set up residence in Denver (Pietro and his children continued to their farm in Derby, Colorado). Her daughter, Filomena, was born Christmas Day 1915. Filomena's birth certificate gives their address as 3334 Navajo Street, Denver. Father - Pietro, 32. Giovanna's age is correctly stated, 22.

In Denver during and after her pregnancy, Giovanna became acquainted with several life-long friends: Mary Elio Conzone. Mary's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Elio came from Bari, Italy with Giovanna's future husband, Giacomo Manfredo. Mary's Mother was godmother to Filomena. Mary married John Conzone who later ran a bar in Denver. Filomena's husband, Chic, visited it once in the late 1940's and remembers how creepy it was. Pete and Anne Ciancio, Mary's sister. Pete played semi- professional baseball in Denver, gave kids his old uniforms.

Through the Elio family, Giovanna was introduced to Giacomo Manfredo, An immigrant from Casamassima, Bari Province, Italy. Elio's had moved to Denver from Pocatello, Idaho where they had originally immigrated with Giacomo, then moving to Denver to find work during a railroad strike in Idaho. There they met Giovanna and her 2 year old daughter, Filomena. Elio's wrote to Giacomo about Giovanna, and made the introduction that led to their marriage in Denver in 1917. They soon moved to Pocatello where he worked for the Union Pacific railroad.

Giovanna and Giacomo had two more children - Dominic (b. 1920) and Christina (b. 1924). A second son, Ralph, born in 1922, died in 1923 due to complications from measles. Filomena remembers an Italian midwife, listed as Anna White on the birth certificates, helped deliver Dominic, Ralph and Crissy in their home.

Giacomo and Giovanna purchased a substantial brick house at 529 N. 5th street from Charlie Busco, another Italian immigrant. Both Jack and Jennie were very proud of their purchase. They rented out the main floor to offset the mortgage payments for several years until the payments were affordable - Filomena remembers living in the basement. They were always generous with their accommodations - the Colaianni family lived with them until they could find their own house, among others.


Filomena, Christina, Giacomo, Dominic on Front Porch of Fifth Street House


Albert Colaianni served with Dominic and another Pocatello resident, Ricco Benedetti, in World War II, including service at Montecassino, Italy, 40 miles South of Vicalvi. Albert was killed in the war. Alberts sisters, Mary and Viola, are close family friends, attended high school with Filomena. They also allowed a crippled man to live in the chicken coop in the backyard, for whom Jennie often made dinner. Another tenant was named Paul Demopolis, a Greek bachelor who owned a car and taught Filomena to drive. The lessons were not completely successful - Florence did not get a driver's license until the family moved to Butte Montana in 1955, where her skills were refined on the garage.

Giovanna crocheted lace for St. Anthony's altar and, at times, cleaned pullman cars in addition to full time housewife duties. Her garden was masterful. She grew vegetables in raised beds which she learned as a teenager in Vicalvi. Giacomo's brother Giuseppe (Joe) lived with them in later years, died when Filomena was young - she remembers that the body was displayed in their living room for several days. Neither Giacomo or Giovanna were literate. From first grade on, Filomena (changed to Florence when she entered school) countersigned Papa's wage check. The Manfredo name was spelled differently at times - Manfredi, Montfraid, Monfreda.

The Manfredo's lived in an Italian neighborhood in Pocatello, most of the Italians worked for the Union Pacific. Italian families included Guido Bozzi, Frank Bozzi, Ricco Benedetti, Vetrano, Busco, DiGiacomo, Ferri, Benedetti, Miraglio, DiPhillips, Valentino, Colainiani, Marchetti, Conzoni, and Jim and Stella Meccico. Other neighbors are listed in the accompanying article from the Pocatello newspaper.
Giovanna and Giacomo on Front Porch
About 1935


Frank Bozzi later lived in Boise, where he knew brother Dominic. Guido (Mike) Bozzi, Frank's brother, died at age 16. Giacomo's bosses were John Cusano, Nieda DeGregorio, and Mike Gates. Ricco Benedetti was a close friend of Dominic's. They joined the National Guard together and later served together in Europe during WWII. Mary Elio Conzone, whose family lived with Giacomo in Pocatello, married in Denver, and was Godmother to Jennifer, Crissy's second daughter and Gary, Filomena's second son.

In Pocatello Giacomo liked an Italian bar on 7th Street, Lucky Seven, not far from home, where he played Bocce Ball in an outside courtyard. Tony Colaianni ran the neighborhood Star Grocery in this Pocatello Italian Community. Giovanna's parents, Raffaello and Filomena Palombo were born circa 1865 and married circa 1888 in Vicalvi, Italy (near Naples). They farmed in Vicalvi. Children born in Viclavi - Dominic (1891), Angelo (1899), Attilio (1895) and Giovanna (1893). They moved in 1925 to a 10 acre (?) farm about 3 kilometers North of Pisa within sight of the Tower. Each night before bed Raffaello drank a glass of wine, which he continued up to the night he died in bed, beside Filomena who found he had passed away quietly at night in 1952. He was about 87 years old. His death was attributed to tumors.


Giovanna and Giacomo in Front Yard
About 1957 		Giovanna's brother Dominic married Carolina about 1917 in Vicalvi. He immigrated in search of a better working life and lived in Pocatello with Manfredo's for a while, where he worked for the Railroad, until his brother Angelo talked him into moving back to Alliquippa to work in the Steel industry. Dominic and Carolina had two daughters - Rosina (Rosaria) in 1918 and Maria in 1922.
Dominic died in a steel mill accident in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 27 September 1929. Dominic's daughter Rosina married Giovani Marcelli in Pisa. Giovani died in 1975 from lung cancer attributed to cigarette smoking. Rosina owns and operates a flower and gift shop in Pisa located on Via Pietrasantina in Pisa, about 1 kilometer Northwest of the Tower. Her niece Anna worked for her in 1990. Rosina goes by her maiden name Rosina Palombo. They had no children.

Maria married Attilio Iacobelli in November 1941. Their marriage was arranged by their parents when Maria was 15. They were enamored with each other and courted for 8 years before they were married in Pisa. In 1935, Attilio and his father built the house where they now live at 991 Via Livornese, San Piero a Grado, Pisa. The house is about 1kilometer East of the Chiesa San Piero a Grado, the family's parish, where the daughters were baptised and married. Attilio had 4 brothers and 2 sisters. Attilio's father traveled to America 3 or 4 times. Attilio served in the Army during WWII, prisoner of war, and returned to a career as a butcher with a shop in downtown Pisa.

Maria has been a housewife throughout their marriage. Attilio has built apartments on a portion of the property behind their house. The remainder of the property was cultivated as a vineyard until 1988 when heart surgery dictated that Attilio limit his activities. Maria and Attilio have 3 daughters - Carla (b. 1943), Anna Maria (b. 1948) and Rosalba (b. 1949). Carla married Vittorio Giordani and lives in the ground floor of her parents' house with her two sons Alessandro (b. 1965) and Davido (b.1975). Vittorio is a chemist for an animal products company. Alessandro works as a bar tender near the American military base in Pisa. He is engaged and plans to marry as soon as he is able to purchase a house. Anna Maria is married to Pardi Massimo. They live on Via Livornese about 1.5 kilometers closer to town than her parents. They have two kids - Francesca (b. 1975) and Frederico (b. 1976). Pardi is an administrator for the gas company. Anna works for her Aunt Rosina in the flower shop. Rosalba married Roberto Iacopini (b. 1948). They live in one of her parents apartments behind the family house. They have a son Paolo (b.1973) who is studying math in High School. Roberto is a barber.


Pisa Italy October 1990
Vittorio, Paolo, Roberto, Frederico, Attilio, Anna Maria, Rosalba, Maria, Carla, Davide, Florence, Chic, Pardi


Giovanna's second brother, Angelo Palombo, moved to America where he married Julia Bissiniani and worked in the steel mills in Pennsylvania. Angelo died about 1980, survived by his wife Julia and two sons Gilbert and Edward. Julia continues to live in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania (1997). Angelo traveled to Idaho with his son Edward to visit his sister Jennie in 1953 - they had not seen each other for more than 30 years. During his visit, Giacomo took him on a tour of the railroad yard where Angelo was bitten by a dog - Crissy took him to the hospital for treatment. Giovanna's youngest brother, Attillio Palombo, lived in Pisa. Following Dominic's death in America, he married his brother's wife, Carolina, much to the family's dismay. The marriage did not work out well, Attilio was hoping to gain wealth. He is not highly regarded by the family - a disgrace, in fact. Brother Attilio born 1906, died in Pisa in 1956 due to a lung problem caused by cigarette smoking. Giacomo died in Pocatello on Christmas Day, 1959. Giovana died in Aberdeen, Washington 23 March 1975. Both she and Giacomo are buried in Pocatello.


Giovanna, Aberdeen Washington, November 1965 and 1973


See also Giacomo Manfredo Page
 Information contributed by Filomena, Christina and Dominic, Ellis Island Manifest (1911), Alien Registration form (1942) and notes taken in Pisa 28 May, 1990. 15 August 1997.




Letter from Crissy Manfredo Kelly, September 1997:

The Elio family came from Bari with Papa and they lived together until the Elio's moved to Denver in 1916. Their children were Lawrence Jr., Jim, Martha, Mary, and Anne. During our growing years they were the closest "cousins" we had. We visited many times during the years, both families using their railroad passes.

The feast of Saint Rocco was a big event for us - the statue of St.Rocco was carried through the streets - money was given to the carriers and it all ended up at a huge bazaar and dance near Mount Carmel parish.

Mary Elio married John Conzone, a gambler who also owned a bar and liquor store on the rough side of Denver which catered to wino's. He cashed all pension and social security checks. Mary worked there occasionally and had a gun under the bar if she needed it. This Mary is your and Jennifer's godmother.

The Colaianni family lived with Mama and Papa in Pocatello, on our side of the house at 529 North 5th. They came from Colorado Springs, worked in coal mines until they found a home on North 12th and opened up Star Grocery. Their children were Jene, Dean, Mary, Viola, Albert, Raymond, and Virginia. Mary and Viola were your mother's dearest friends.

Albert joined the National Guard with your Uncle Nick and Rico Benedetti. He (Albert) died when he walked on a land mine in Italy, the three of them served together in the European theater. Raymond worked for his uncle and Dad in the Star Grocery Italian Market. Virginia and I grew up as dearest friends and still are very, very close.

Your mother has another godmother named Angela DePhillips - she moved from Pocatello to Oakland, Ca. Your mother was very fond of her and her husband Joe. We visited them when we went to California on the train, to visit Mama's Uncle Angelo Palombo and his wife Angelina and their children Otto and Angelina. He was our great Uncle. Aunt Julia can tell you more about them.

Angelo in California helped Mama and uncle Angelo in Aliquippa to receive an inheritance from Italy when their parents died. It was approximately $1000. A Pocatellan who lived on 6th by the name of Jim Meccico wrote and read all correspondence to and from Italy for Mama and Papa. They helped us mail boxes of clothes to Papa's side of the family. They were always so grateful tp receive small sums of money and clothing.

Love, Auntie Cris September 1997






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